Drug-resistant salmonella outbreak sickens 7 in Ohio

FILE – In this March 29, 2006, file photo, a wide variety of cuts of meat are displayed at the meat section of Cub Foods grocery store in a Burnsville, Minn. Standards proposed Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, by the Agriculture Department aim to reduce rates of salmonella and campylobacter, another pathogen that can cause symptoms […]

An outbreak of drug-resistant salmonella linked to raw chicken has sickened seven people in Ohio.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s investigating a total of 92 cases in 29 states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is also monitoring the outbreak.

An investigation notice from the CDC says evidence indicates many types of raw chicken products from different sources are contaminated and making people sick. They have not identified a single common supplier.

During interviews, people who have gotten sick reported eating different types and brands of chicken products. Investigators have also identified the outbreak strain in samples taken from raw chicken pet food, raw chicken products and live chickens.

Testing done by the CDC shows the outbreak strain is resistant to multiple antibiotics. The CDC believes this outbreak might be widespread in the chicken industry.

There is no indication of where the confirmed cases are in Ohio. The other states impacted by the outbreak are Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

The CDC is urging consumers to handle raw chicken carefully and cook it thoroughly.

“This outbreak is a reminder that raw chicken can have germs that spread around food preparation areas and make you sick,” the notice said.

The agency did clarify that “(the) CDC is not advising that consumers avoid eating properly cooked chicken, or that retailers stop selling raw chicken products.”